Health roundup: 19% still smoke, but they smoke less

A smoker holds a cigarette in Hudson, Wisconsin. About 44 million adult in the United States still smoke but progress is being made, CDC says.(Photo: KAREN BLEIER AFP/Getty Images)

Your Friday morning health roundup:

Smoking less: Nearly 44 million U.S. adults, or 19%, still smoke, but those who do are lighting up fewer cigarettes in a day, continuing a trend seen in recent years, says the latest report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Another positive sign: Smoking among young adults, ages 18 to 24, has dropped from 24% to 19% since 2005. (HealthDay)

West Nile worries: Some doctors suspect the West Nile virus has mutated into a form that causes greater neurological damage than in the past, the Washington Post reports. But a CDC scientist says the agency has not seen evidence for that. CDC has reported more than 5,000 cases and 228 deaths from West Nile this year.

Calling Dr. Smartphone: About 19% of smartphone users have at least one health app, says a new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. People use the apps to track everything from their diets and weight to their blood pressure and menstrual cycles.( MobiHealthNews)

Today's talker: Dolls that drink from bottles have been around for ages. Now, there's a doll that breastfeeds -- and reaction is predictably mixed. Fox News' Bill O'Reilly has declared that the nation doesn't need "this kind of stuff" because "kids should be kids." But many breastfeeding advocates have endorsed the doll that makes suckling sounds when held against sensors on a halter top meant to be worn by little girls, the Associated Press reports. Consumers can vote with their dollars of course -- but they won't find Breast Milk Baby in major retail stores, which are "wary of the controversy," says a representative for the manufacturer. The dolls are sold online for $89 (though there's a 50% off sale at the moment).